THE WILD CASCADES April-May, 1967 Whatcom Peak - Tapto Lakes - Charles Hessey Photo 2 The Wild Cascades RESIDENTS OF WASHINGTON'S SECOND CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT TAKE NOTE WitUam W. ft ocknau: Meeds Puts His Neck Out ASHINGTON — (Seattle Times Wash­ But tacit approval was there simply because ington Bureau) — Twice in the past he was the first to introduce the bill. It now Wten days Lloyd Meeds, the young liberal becomes a Meeds bill in the House. congressman from What does Meeds stand to gain from his Everett, has stuck action? Not much in the little logging towns his neck out on the that dot his district and have been the main­ hottest political is­ stay of the area's economy. Rightly or sue in his congres­ wrongly, the townspeople in towns like Dar- sional district, the rington and Sedro Woolley view the admin­ future of the North istration plan as a plot to lock up their fu­ Cascades. Meeds' ture. They won't like Meeds' action. The stand has been po­ conservationist who would like to preserve litically unorthodox. most of the North Cascades in one large The fact that park won't be satisfied either. Mee ds took any stand at all is un­ BUT MEEDS TOOK an even more politic­ usual. Nowhere is ally risky move in the North Cascades. He the future of the announced he planned to introduce legisla­ tion to block the Kennecott Copper Corp.'s North Cascades more plans for an open-pit mine in the Glacier controversial than Peak wilderness area. This move might in Meeds' 2nd Dis­ please the conservationists, but once again trict, which sweeps some of the economic interests in his district up the western will be unhappy. slopes of the moun­ LLOYD MEEDS It is highly unusual for a congressman tains and extends to to attempt to squelch a job-producing en­ such disputed areas as Miners Ridge and terprise within his own constituency. The Thunder Creek. In similar situations most Kennecott mine would produce 200 jobs and politicians "keep an open mind" and "await take millions of dollars worth of copper out developments." But they do not commit of the mountains each year. It also would themselves. The political risks are too great. scar—at least temporarily—Miners Ridge, one of the most scenic parts of the Glacier MEEDS CHOSE TO charge into the mid­ Peak wilderness area. dle of the controversy. He became the first member of the House of Representa­ MEEDS CHOOSES TO SAVE the scen­ tives to introduce the Johnson administra­ ery, not the jobs. Even more significantly, tion's bill calling for a new national park he would be the ringleader in the operation. and additional wilderness and recreation It would have been much easier and safer to areas in the North Cascades. True, Meeds sit back and let someone else do the dirty avoided a direct endorsement of the bill. work. S«&#* :NER DEVELOPMENT CASCADES NATIONAL PARK * ROSS LAKE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA » WASHINGTON I I CD DM CO 4 The Wild Cascades 90TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION S. 1321 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES MARCH 20,1907 Mr. JACKSON (for himself and Mr. MAONUSON) (by request) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs A BILL To establish the North Cascades National Park and Ross Lake National Recreation Area, to designate the Pasayten Wilder­ ness and to modify the Glacier Peak Wilderness, in the State of Washington, and for other purposes. 1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Bepresenta- 2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 3 TITLE I—NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK 4 SEC. 101. In order to preserve for the benefit, use, and 5 inspiration of present and future generations certain majestic 6 mountain scenery, snow fields, glaciers, alpine meadows, and 7 other unique natural features in the North Cascade Moun- 8 tains of the State of Washington, there is hereby established, Miner's Ridge - U.S. Forest Service Photo 2 3 m 1 subject to valid existing rights, the North Cascades National 1 "national recreation area" on the map referred to in section a 2 Park (hereinafter referred to in this Act as the "park"). 2 101 of this Act. 5. 3 The park shall consist of the lands, waters, and interests 3 TITLE III—LAND ACQUISITION § 4 therein within the area designated "national park" on the 4 SEC. 301. Within the boundaries of the park and rec- a 5 map entitled "Proposed Management Units, North Cascades, 5 reation area, the Secretary of the Interior (hereinafter re- § 6 Washington," numbered NP-CAS-7000, and dated Febru- 6 ferred to in this Act as the "Secretary") may acquire lands, 7 ary 1967. The map shall be on file and available for public 7 waters, and interests therein by donation, purchase with 8 inspection in the office of the Director, National Park Serv- 8 donated or appropriated funds, or exchange. Lands owned 9 ice, Department of the Interior, and in the office of the Chief, 9 by the State of Washington or any political subdivision 10 Forest Service, Department of Agriculture. 10 thereof may he acquired only by donation. Federal prop- 11 TITLE n—ROSS LAKE NATIONAL RECREATION 11 erty within the boundaries of the park and recreation area 12 AREA 12 is hereby transferred to the administrative jurisdiction of 13 SEC. 201. In order to provide for the public outdoor 12 the Secretary for administration by him as part of the park 14 recreation use and enjoyment of portions of the Skagit 11 and recreation area. The national forest land within such 15 River and Ross, Diablo, and Gorge Lakes, together with 15 boundaries is hereby eliminated from the national forests 16 the surrounding lands, and for the conservation of the scenic, 1° within which it was heretofore located. 17 scientific, historic, and other values contributing to public !' SEC. 302. In exercising his authority to acquire prop- so 18 enjoyment of such lands and waters, there is hereby estab- 1° erty by exchange, the Secretary may accept title to any >> I 19 fished, suhject to valid existing rights, the Ross Lake Na- 19 non-Federal property within the boundaries of the park a 20 tional Recreation Area (hereinafter referred to in this Act < 9 and recreation area and in exchange therefor he may convey 21 as the "recreation area"). The recreation area shall con- 21 to the grantor of such property any federally owned prop- 22 sist of the lands and waters within the area designated 22 erty under his jurisdiction in the State of Washington which 6 The Wild Cascades A CALL FOR HELP IN THE NORTH CASCADES from the NORTH CASCADES CONSERVATION COUNCIL The Administration submitted legislation to the 90th Congress which takes a substantial step forward in the struggle toward protection of the magnificent glacier-meadow-forest scenery of the NORTH CASCADES mountains of Washington State. Hearings were held in Washington, D. C. on April 24 and 25 and will be held in the State of Washington in late May or early June. S. 1321, introduced by Senators Henry M. Jackson and Warren G. Magnuson (Washington) •at the request of the Administration, and HB. 8970, introduced by Congressman Lloyd Meeds (Washington), call for the establishment of a 570, 000 acre NORTH CASCADES NATIONAL PARK of two units, divided by a 100,000 acre ROSS LAKE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA. They further provide for the establishment of a 500, 000 acre PASAYTEN WILDERNESS, to be created out of the eastern half of the former NORTH CASCADES PRIMITIVE AREA, and for the addition of 10,000 acres to the existing GLACIER PEAK WILDERNESS AREA. All of the lands affected are federal lands now under the jurisdiction and management of the U. S. Forest Service. This legislation does not do a complete job of protecting all of the NORTH CASCADES that can and should be protected. But it is a significant forward step in the drive for full protection. It is a bill which provides for a park about 1/2 the size it should be (our park proposal of 1963) and protects about 1/4 of the park-caliber area needing protection. It furthermore is a bill which clearly reflects political compromise and as such is in need of considerable amendment. The bill has certain defects or omissions which can be remedied by amendment; and, as amended, it deserves and must have conservationist support or it cannot pass. Already, powerful forces, within and without the State of Washington, are mobilizing to defeat the bill. WHAT AMENDMENTS ARE NECESSARY? The White House, Secretaries Stewart Udall and Orville Freeman, and Senators Jackson and Magnuson and Congressman Meeds deserve commendation and praise for their leadership in recognizing the need for better protection and recognition of the unparalleled NORTH CASCADES. However, the bill as presently drafted, omits certain areas which logically should be included in either the Park or Wildernesses. The bill further needs to be tightened up to protect the wilder­ ness inside the Park boundaries from further encroachment by roads and tramways. Here are 8 necessary amendments (same numbers used on map): 1. HORSESHOE BASIN must be added to the PASAYTEN WILDERNESS. The PASAYTEN WILDERNESS, as proposed in the bill, actually protects less wilderness than is presently pro­ tected in that area by the existing NORTH CASCADES PRIMITIVE AREA. The difference is the omission of the HORSESHOE BASIN - WINDY PEAK region, on the far northeast corner. The reason for omitting this beautiful area is that it contains some 12, 000 acres of timberland.